Indicator-lock



QQM A (No Mbdel.) I I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. M. EDGAR.

INDICATOR LOGK.. No. 536,195. Patented Mam. 26, 1895.

WITNESSES: 1 INVENTUR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH M. EDGAR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS,TO THE SMITH,& EGGE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

INDICATOR-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 536,195,dated March 26,1895. 3

Application filed August 10, 1894, Serial No- 519,953. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH M. EDGAR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Indicator-Locks; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and ,use the same- My inventionrelates to certain new and useful improvements in indicator devices,such as are commonly used in connection with indicator locks, whichlatter are principally for the purpose of detecting any unlawfultampering.

In indicator locks the locking is effected and automatically registeredon a combination of numbers, letters, or other characters, and thiscombination is instantly changed by the act of unlocking.

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertainsmay more fully understand the same, I will proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation in detail, referring by numbers of referenceto the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of an indicator lock of thekind that myinvention relates to; Fig. 2, a rear elevation with thecasing removed; Fig. 3, a vertical sectional elevation with chainsremoved; Fig. 4, a perspective of the parts arranged as at Fig. 3; Figs.5 and 6, sections at the lines w, or, and y, y, of Fig. 2; Fig. 7, aperspective showing the shackle as it appears immediately after it hasbeen swung from locked position; Fig.8, a perspective showing theshackle swung completely around preparatory to locking; Fig. 9, asection at line 2, z, of Fig. 2, and Fig. 10, a detail development ofthe chains at full length and in proper relative position.

I Similar numbers and letters of reference denote like parts in theseveral figures of the drawings. a

1 is the casing of the lock, and 2 the shackle thereof which latter isjournaled within the casing in any suitable manner so as to be ca-Vvided on its periphery with sockets l'extending across the face thereofwhich constitute grasping points in the manner and for the purposepresently explained.

, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are the indicator chains which are formed from equalsized links 9, 10, 11, and 12, hinged together in each instance as shownat 13, 14, 15, and 16, said chains being carried around the drum 3, andthe hinges forming protuberances which snugly lit within the sockets 4,so that it will be readily understood that said drum and chains are ineffect a sprocket wheel and sprocket chains.

The chain 8 has one more link than the chain 7, the chain 7 one morelink than the chain 6, while the chain 6 has one more link than thechain 5, and each link has thereon any suitable number, letter, or othercharacter.

17 is a support secured within the lock casing and around which thesechains extend, so that it will be clear that such chains aresubstantially endless belts carried by the drum 3 and support 17. Thissupport is constructed with grades 18, 19, 20, and 2l,which form bearingsurfaces for the chains 5, 6, 7, and 8,, so that such chains areproperly supported according to their dilferent lengths. The outersurfaces of these'grades against which the chains lie are circular andsmooth,

so that when such chains are carried around by the movement of theshackle they will drag with but verylittle frictional resistance aroundsuch surfaces. These surfaces may of course be provided withanti-friction rollers against which the chains may lie but I do notconsider this as necessary since the-wear faces are not appreciable.

The casing is provided with an opening 22,

numbers or other characters carried by the chains register in alignment.There are no two numbers or other characters that are alike on any oneof these chains, and the object of this is of course to prevent thelocation of any one number or character in the same position any greaternumber of times than is absolutely necessary, in order that the greatestpossible nu mberof combinations may be obtained; also it is notadvisable to have the chains all of the same length, because in suchinstance the relative positions of the numbers or characters on suchchains would never be changed, and the number of combinations would belimited by the number of links in any one of the chains.

Vith the exception of the feature of the shackle revolving rigidly withthe drum, all of the parts and movements which I have heretoforedescribed form no part of my present invention, and I do not wish to beunderstood as laying anyclaim thereto, and I have described such partsand movements merely in order that my invention presently to bedescribed will be better understood.

The features of my present invention are, first, revolving the shackleand drum in harmony so that the drum must be turned a completerevolution in swinging the shackle from unlocked to locked position;second, in so constructing the polygonal drum that the number of linkscarried beyond a given point at a single revolution of the drum is notdivisible into the number of links in any one of the chains; third, thedevice for locking and unlocking the shackle and for looking a seal inposition.

Myinvention mainly relates to the specific construction of the rotarydrum with the end in view that the greatest possible number ofcombinations of the characters on the chains may be obtained by thecontinued revolution of the drum, all of which will be clear from thefollowing explanation particular reference being had to Fig. 10 of thedrawings. This figure of the drawings represents the chains extended totheir full lengths with the numbers or characters thereon in properrelation with respect to each other as shown at Figs. 1 and 2. It willbe observed that in these four chains there are eleven, twelve,thirteen, and fourteen links respectively, and it. will therefore beclear that the greatest number of different combinations that canpossibly be indicated in vertical-alignment is equal to the product ofeleven, twelve, thirteen, and fourteen, or in other words, twenty fourthousand and twenty four, (24,024.) The number of links in any one ofthese chains must not be a multiple of the number of links in each chainwhich are carried beyond agiven point during the complete revolution ofthe shackle, for otherwise onlya few of the numbers or characters on achain would ever be brought into the registering position, and thenumber of combinations would thereby be greatly limited.

The element which controls the extent throughout which the chains arecarried during a complete revolution of the shackle is the drum 3, andin the present instance as shown this drum is provided on its peripherywith five equidistant sockets 4 which makes this drum equivalent to apentagon, each side whereof is equal to the length of one of the links.It is absolutely necessary for the purposes of my invention that thenumber of links in each chain which are carried beyond a given pointduring a complete revolution of said drum shall not be divisible intothe number of links in any one of such chains, and therefore if thenumber of links in any or all of such chains were changed, it mightbecome essential to change the construction of this drum so that itwould carry more or less links beyond a given point. Of course as manylinks will be carried beyond a given point as there are sides orgrasping points on the drum, and in the present instance this number isfive, and as this number is not divisible into the numbers eleven,twelve, thirteen and fourteen (these being the number of links in eachchain) it will be clear that the conditions of my invention arefulfilled and that the greatest possible number of combinations of thecharacters on these chains can be obtained.

Of course the number of chains used is not a material feature, and itwill be clear that the greater said number is the greater will be thenumber of combinations possible, the aforesaid precautions of coursebeing taken with respect to the links of said chains, their relativearrangement, and the nu mberof links in each chain carried beyond agiven point by a complete revolution of the shackle.

Referring to Fig. 1 taken particularly in connection with Fig. 10, Iwill explain the operation of my improvement and the manner in which thecombinations are formed and indicated.

The combination which appears in Fig. 1 is 881K, and as the rotation ofthe shackle carries the chains toward the right (referring to Fig. l) orin the direction of the arrow in Fig. 10, it will be obvious from theforegoing description that the following combinations will be 3248,X173, 1596, 0761, 40Y1, 7322, thethat is to say, every consecutive fifthnumher or character in said chains will be successively brought intovertical registration through the opening 22 by the complete revolutionof the shackle. It becomes necessary to provide some sort of device forlocking the shackle when a combination is indicated with the shackle inlooking position, but I have merely shown a spring projected pin 23suitably housed within the casing of the lock, which pin is chamfered asshown at a and automatically enters a socket 24 in the bottom of thenose of the shackle when the latter is swung to locking position. Thispin may be depressed to release the shackle to permit the same to swing.around by means of any suitable key, but I have, in the presentinstance, provided an opening 25 in the casing through which anysuitable pin may be inserted into a hole 26 in the lock pin whereby'thelatter may be depressed to release the shackle. I have shown integralwith the casing and in front of the opening 25 a housing 27 within whicha flat tag or label (not shown) may be inserted and held in thisposition by means of a leaf 28 hinged at 29 within the casing, said leafbeing held in depressed position by the nose of the shackle superimposedthereon as shown at Figs. 3 and 4. The object of such tag or label wouldbe to afford some means for properly indicating any suitable informationsuch as the destination of the registered goods or the place from whencethey were sent. It will be readily understood however that any sort of alocking device may be combined either with the nose or heel of theshackle to secure the latterin locked position. When the shackle hasbeen swung from its locked position to the extent where it becomespossible to remove said shackle from any staple, bar or other deviceused in connection therewith, it becomes highly essential that it berendered impossible to return the shackle to locked position,

for otherwise registered goods might be tam pered with and the lockingdevices restored without any change appearing in the indicatedcombination. I therefore provide a collar 30 on the heel of the shacklewithin the casing, and form ratchet teeth-31 in the periphery of saidcollar, with which teeth a spring-actuated pawl 32 housed and guidedwithin the casing engages. When the shackle is unlocked and swung aroundthe backs of the teeth will ride against the beveled nose,

of the pawl thereby forcing the latter backward, but should any attemptbe made to return the shackle to locking position said pawl will engagewith said teeth and will effectually prevent such movement. Referring toFig. 6 it will be observed that these teeth are so arranged with respectto the pawl that said pawlwill engagewith said teeth, no matter in whatdirection the shackle is turned,so that it will be readily understoodthat it is not possible to swing the shackle from its locked positionwithout changing the indicated combination. The teeth may be cut allaround the collar 30 if desired, but this is not necessary since theconstruction shown and described isfully as efficient.

From the foregoing it will be readily understood that I lay no claimwhatever to the differential chains, the supports therefor and thepolygonal drum or other means for revolving said chains, but myinvention so far as these parts are concerned relates solely to theprovision of a specific polygonal drum which shall carry a specifiednumber of links in each of the chains beyond a given point at a singlerevolution of the drum, which number must not be divisible into thenumber of links in any one of the chains.

Having thus particularly described my invention, what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1. In an indicator lock, thecombination of a series of endless chains of unequal lengths and allcomposed of links of the'same size having thereon numbers or characters,a series of supports and a drum around. which said chains are carried inunison, said drum provided with a plurality of equi-distant graspingportions whereby said chains are uniformly and positively carried, thenumber of links in each chain carried beyond a given point by thecomplete revolution of said drum being indivisible into the number oflinks in any one of said chains, and means for locking said drum asagainst complete rotation save in one direction, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination of the rotatory drum, the shackle having its heel.end rigid therewith, the collar 30 around the heel of the shackle andhaving ratchet teeth 31 in its pe riphery, the spring actuated pawl 32adapted to engage with said'ratchet, said shackle having a socket 24 inthe bottom of its nose, and the spring projected pin 23 having chamferedportion a. and adapted to enter said socket when the shackle isturned'to locking tion, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the casing, the shaoklehaving its heel end pivotedtherein whereby its nose may swing in a horizontal plane from looking tounlocking position, the seal housing 27 formed on the'outside of thecasing immediately in front of the point at which the lockis entered tounlock the shackle, and the leaf 28 hinged at 29 within the easing andadapted to be held in depressed po posisition by the nose of the shacklewhen swung to locking position, substantially as set forth. In testimonywhereof I' affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH M. EDGAR.

WVitnesses: F. W. SMITH, J r., M. S. LONGDEN.

